Juvenile play yard



Feb. 17, 1953 H. l.. HOKE '2,628,370

UVENILE'PL'AY YARD Filed May 16, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Feb. 17, 1953 H. l.. HOKE 2,628,370l

JUVENILE PLAY YARD Filed May 16, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 I N VEN TOR.

ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 17, 1953 JUVENILE PLAY YARD Henry Lloyd Hoke, Thurmont, Md.

Application May 16, 1949, Serial No. 93,568

This invention relates to a juvenile play yard and it has for its general object to provide a folding play yard characterized by unusual rigidity when in expanded position, and which folds into a flat package or u`nit for storage or transporta tion, in which the several superposed panels lie substantially parallel without interference one with another, and therefore without consequent destructive strains.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a play yard of the type described, having folding sides and ends in which the corner posts are each composed of two members, belonging respectively to a side and an adjacent end, in

base about horizontal axes which are perpendicular to one another, and bolted along a vertical axis near the top, whereby weaving of the post components is prevented, and rigid maintenance of the vertical post assured.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a juvenile play yard in which the height of the ends is not greater than half the length of the yard, so that the end can fold down at the same level against the floor, the sides being hinged to the tops of rails, one of which is higher than the other by an amount equal to the thickness of a side, whereby the sides fold down at different levels upon the ends, one in fiat relation to the other.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the following description of a preferred and practical embodiment thereof proceeds.

1n the drawing which accompanies the following specflcation, and throughout the several fguresof which the same reference characters have been used to denote identical parts:

Figure l is a perspective view of a juvenile play yard embodying the principles of the invention, shown in open or expanded position;

Figure 2 is an end elevation, one lower corner being broken away showing adjacent parts in cross-section;

-Figure 3 is a detail of a corner post in section, taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the play yard, folded;

Figure 5 is a cross-section taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure I6 is a cross-section taken along the line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Referring now in detail to the several figures, the numeral I represents the play yard as a whole, having a oor 2, similar sides 3 and 4, and similar ends 5 and 6.

The oor 2 is a sheet of suitable material such side by side contact, foldable vertically at ther1.5

4 as plywood, secured to the top of a perimetric rectangular frame 1. Ahas the fixed blocks 8 with vertical bores for .the casters 9.

Said frame in the corners The shape of the iioor is preferably oblong, the sides being longer than the width of the ends.

The sides and ends are of slat construction, each side comprising a top bar I0 and bottom bar II, with intervening vertical spaced slats I2.

secured thereto. The ends of the top and bottom bars I0 and II are secured to the vertical side components I3 and I4 of the corner posts-the g latter being designated as a whole by the ref- .erence character I5. The ends are similarly constructed, each end consisting of a top bar I6, bottom bar I1, with the intervening spaced vertical slats I8, the ends terminating in the end components I9 and 20 ofthe corner posts. As

shown, the ends have an imperforate panel 2I and a transverse rod 22 carrying wooden beads 23, but `these features are conventional in furniture of this class, and do not enter into the inventive concept. y

The ends are hinged directly to the floor by the hinges 24. The length of the play yard .is not less than double the height of theends 5 and 6, so that the latter can be folded down against the floor, as shown in Figure 5, at a common level, without the free end of one lapping the free end of the other. The sides 3 and 4 are hinged at the tops of rails 25 and 26, by means of the hinges 21, which are secured along the longitudinal margins of the oor 2, as shown particularly in Figure 2.

It is to be noted that the rail 25 is substantially as high as the maximum thickness of either of the ends. In the illustrated embodiment the beads 23 are the thickest part of the ends, as indicated in Figure 6. Thus, when the ends are infolded against the floor, as shown in Figure 5, they are substantially level. The rail 26 is higher than the rail 25 by an amount equal to the thickness of one of the sides, for example the side 4, so that when the side 4 is folded into the position shown in Figure 5, it will lie level against the ends and be just below the hinge level of the opposite side 3. This permits the side 3, when folded down, to lie level against the side 4, making a symmetrical body or package of rectangular prismatic shape, excluding the casters.

It will be noted that when the sides and ends are folded up in vertical position, the components of the corner posts, for instance the components I4 and I9, come together in side by side contact. The component I4 folds up to vertical position along a horizontal axis at its base represented by the pintle of the hinge 21. The component I9 folds up from floor level on the axis represented by the pintle of the hinge 24, which is at right angles to the axis of the hinge 21. The two components I4 and I9 are secured adjacent the top by an axially vertical bolt 2B passing through Vthe aligned holes of al keeper 29, part of which is secured to the component I 4 and part to the component I9. This keeper, in the form shown, comprises the interdigitating parts of hinge leaves 30 and 3|, Figure 3, one of which leaves has a part interposed between similar aligned parts on the other leaf. These parts constitute the barrel of the hinge and the interlocking relation of the parts prevents longitudinal slippage between the contacting faces of the post components. The bolt 28 running through these interdigitating barrel parts holds them against lateral displacement. By this construction the two components of the corner post are held rigidly upright with respect to the floor, and prevented from any swaying or weavingmovement regardless of the efforts of the child to shake the sides or ends of the play yard. Y

In order that the slats I2 shall be of the' same length in the sides and ends, it is to be noted that the bottom bars l1 of the ends are as high as the combinedA height of the rails 25 and 25 and the corresponding bottom bars I'I. It will also be noted that since the rail 25 is of less height than the rail 26, the bottom bar II which lrests upon the rail 25 is correspondingly Wider than the bottom bar I I, which rests upon the rail 26, so that the combined heights of rail and bottom bar at each side are the same.

While I have in the above description disclosed what I believe to be a preferred and practical embodiment of the invention, it will be understood 'by those skilled in the art that the specic deof the invention.

I claim: Collapsible juvenile play yard comprising la '4 rectangular floor, end panels hinged at floor level foldable inwardly against the floor, rails extending longitudinally of the floor at opposite sides in fixed relation thereto, side panels hinged to the tops of said rails so as to fold inwardly, said rails being of a height differing by an amount equal to the thickness of a side panel to permit flat folding of said side panels, said side and end panels each including a rectangular frame having top, bottom and end members, the adjacent end members of the side and end panels terminating at the same level at the top, each being an integral member throughout its length, said end members having flat adjacent faces that contact in av common interface at each corner When said' panels are in erect position, said adjacent contacting end members being the components of a corner post hinged at different levels at4 the base of said post, cooperating means at Veach corner adjacent the tops of said post components to prevent relative longitudinal slippage of said components along their contacting interface, said means providing a projection transversely intersecting the plane of the interfacebetween said post components, said means also providing a complementary recess with which said projection interdigitates, said projection being confined against longitudinal movement, and removable means cooperating with said interdigitating projection and recess for holding said post componentsin interfacial contact. z

HENRY LLOYD HOKE.

REERENCES CITED The following references are of record inthe le of this patent:

UNITED s'rA'rEs PATENTS 

